PostScript: Jennifer Rubin on the Colorado shooting

By Rachel Manteuffel

Hi, guys. I’m exiting the bunker to deliver this report, because the whole conceit seems a bit trivial at the moment. My day began at a midnight showing of “The Dark Knight Rises” at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum. I didn’t really note at the time all the levels of security I went through, but I went through a metal detector and my bag was searched, and there were a LOT of guards around. Protecting the Hope Diamond from me, yes, but also me from . . . whatever. Whatever came into that theater in Aurora, Colo.

The New York Daily News reported that one of the dead had narrowly missed being at a random public shooting at a mall in Toronto last month.

We’re all much more likely to die in a car crash than in a shooting like this, but reports like this affect us more deeply than weekend traffic carnage reports because this sort of senseless event makes us feel more personally vulnerable. Studies have shown that survivors of deadly car wrecks in which someone was at fault — even the person whose fault it was — deal with their trauma better than an accident of no certain cause, or one attributed to acts of God. Blame, even self-blame, at least suggests such a thing can be prevented, and we can take measures to keep ourselves safe.

All of which relates to the comments in Jennifer Rubin’s Right Turn cease-fire blog post today. “Thank goodness we can put politics aside for now,” she wrote. Which we sort of did, in the comments. People tried to curb the politics, with different degrees of success; with some you can hear the screaming of anti-lock brakes, but the vehicle is large, with great momentum, and still skids on. Blame is a coping mechanism. So here we go.

obeah says:

There will always be another day to heap scorn on this columnist, but today is not the day. I appreciate her restraint.

guybrarian says:

Dear Mitt Romney,

If the president takes this tragedy as another object lesson about our countries need for reasonable gun control, he will be shouted down by the far right and buried in an avalanche of “See, he IS trying to take our guns!!”

You on the other hand, have an amazing opportunity for a “Sister Soulja” moment. Beyond that, it would be a chance for you to display what real statesmanship under your administration would look like. The ball is in your court to do something that at this time and place, ONLY you could do.

Let’s see if you can really govern, or if you’re merely a hired pitchman for the special interests that fund your super PACs.

Sincerely,

America

eoniii says:

Every time a nut murders innocent strangers, the left tries to take political advantage. What a bunch of soulless losers!

Mark90 says:

Jennifer, how do you note in one sentence that the Romney campaign event will go on as planned and then say in the next “Thank goodness we can put politics aside for now.”

leonardo2012 says:

The 2012 Presidential Election has hit an inflection point today. We must be steadfast and true. No matter what comes our way, we must direct our energy towards victory Keep our eyes on the prize. This election is about the soul of America: a free people pursuing our individual dreams committed to the general welfare for ourselves and our posterity. Let the US Constitution be our guide. Believe in America - GenZ4Romney

DCSteve1 says:

While Jennifer is right that the two candidates issued broadly similar statements, it is curious that Romney is still campaigning while Pres. and Mrs. Obama cancelled their events in the wake of this tragedy.

Meche1 says:

This could be a political event similar to the Giffords shooting. Conservatives may be running for cover.

hggoodrich says:

Yes, Ms Rubin, change the subject as readers have grown weary of you and your Joseph Goebbels style propaganda promoting fascism in America.

Comments our editors find particularly useful or relevant are displayed in Top Comments, as are comments by users with these badges: . Replies to those posts appear here, as well as posts by staff writers.

To pause and restart automatic updates, click "Live" or "Paused". If paused, you'll be notified of the number of additional comments that have come in.

Comments our editors find particularly useful or relevant are displayed in Top Comments, as are comments by users with these badges: . Replies to those posts appear here, as well as posts by staff writers.